Meet king of YouTube and Chocolate Rain man: Tay Zonday

Raised in Redcliffe, Queensland, David took an early interest in video and made skate videos and mildly amusing films with his friends. After working overseas with AusAID and teaching English he returned to Australia where he formalised his journalism studies. A father of one, David speaks Japanese and Bislama (Google it) and he also lectures in multimedia journalism.
Working on the central APN ARM online team, David creates video content to share across the network and makes sure the sites look...

Where did the name Tay Zonday come from?
In January 2007, I wanted to create an entertainment name that was easy to spell when heard phonetically while not being used by anyone else. "Tay Zonday" had zero results on Google.

What's unique about YouTube fame?
The project cycles are much shorter on YouTube. Actors like Brad Pitt or Cate Blanchett can achieve fame through one or two film and television projects each year. Google has increasingly designed YouTube to syndicate recent, short-form content. While an actor might shoot for ten weeks and then ride the publicity of that project when it is released months later, YouTube forces success stories to be addicted to the teat of immediacy.

Is it possible to live comfortably on the money you make from YouTube?
It's no secret that YouTube now contributes to successful incomes. I'm not going to be voyeuristic. Most YouTubers who make money reinvest it in people and equipment to achieve production goals. I haven't seen anyone driving a Bugatti just to drive a Bugatti - yet.

How has your daily life changed since Chocolate Rain?
I have gone from being a hobbyist musician to an artist who pursues success in music, voice and film work full-time.
I enjoy opportunities to take part in successful art. Massive public attention can result from those opportunities, but it's never a motive for me.

How long does it take to put a YouTube video together?
This is a common question. There is no pattern, rhyme or reason to how long it takes me to "put a video together." The separate execution mechanics are predictable. I know how long it takes to record a video take. I know how long it takes to batch-convert takes prior to editing. But -- without being punny -- I don't know how many takes a project will take.

What are the ingredients of a viral video?
That's like asking "what are the ingredients of a world-famous CEO?" during sex. You don't know. You don't control it. You let the kid grow up and become what they become. Artists just make art. The public decides whether that art is viral.

What advice would you give a YouTuber who has a viral hit?
A viral hit is not necessarily a business unless you have a brand and iterate your brand.
Living a public life with clear consistent, branding makes it easier to monetise viral hits as a larger business -- if they happen.

Does Chocolate Rain fame overshadow any of your other work?
No. Most entertainers have "calling cards." William Shatner has acted in hundreds of projects, even if he is best-known for "Star Trek." I am grateful for my calling cards. Beyond that, they aren't relevant to present endeavours.

How different are Tay Zonday and Adam?
They became the same. At first, Tay Zonday was intended as an alter-ego. But the alter-ego reached a level of prominence where it became the person. Nobody wants Carlos Irwin Estevez; they want Charlie Sheen. It's great to have a government name and a brand, but I wouldn't say they're different identities.

What are your plans for the next ten years?
Nobody knows where long-form entertainment is headed. Some film and television has migrated to subscription services like Netflix and Amazon. Cable television is a elephantine yet problematic marriage of content revenue and infrastructure revenue. Youtube revenue has not scaled to be able to sustain big-budget long-form content like "House of Cards" or "Game of Thrones." Every company is desperate to establish themselves as a platform on devices, creating a market for entertainment consumers that is fragmented and frustrating.
I'd like to believe that in this whirlwind, I can continue to be a part of successful art.